Great British Beer Festival 1 - 5 August Olympia London
Discussion
Ok been and gone but I notice a few on PH have been. How did you find it, its was my first beer festival for many years
https://gbbf.org.uk/
https://gbbf.org.uk/
Cotty said:
Ok been and gone but I notice a few on PH have been. How did you find it, its was my first beer festival for many years
https://gbbf.org.uk/
Very good as usual, been going for years, we went on the Thursday which was silly hat day, the entrance fee was £18 including the commemorative pint glass as in your pics. The acoustics can be deafening when the band/music is playing and the seating area is limited mid afternoon/early evening but overall a great atmosphere and more beers than you could consume in a lifetime, long may it continue https://gbbf.org.uk/
What was your opinion?Gladers01 said:
Very good as usual, been going for years, we went on the Thursday which was silly hat day, the entrance fee was £18 including the commemorative pint glass as in your pics. The acoustics can be deafening when the band/music is playing and the seating area is limited mid afternoon/early evening but overall a great atmosphere and more beers than you could consume in a lifetime, long may it continue What was your opinion?
We went on the Saturday, it was £16 but had a discount code so £14 including the glass. One of my freinds swapped his pint glass for the half on the way out. What was your opinion?Didn't find the sound a problem, just a general buzz rather than overwhelming. Most of the beers i tried were about £2.70 for a half so reasonable. The seating areas got really busy but when I went upstairs to take that picture of the Grand Hall i realised that there was masses of seating up there that no one was using. When we got some food we went up there and there were rows and rows of benches and tables and about 10 people there.
Balcony is in dark green
A couple of the bars were selling out by 2pm on the Saturday so if we go again next year we will choose a weekday. Probably be less busy that the Saturday.
Tried my first perry
https://www.whinhillnorfolkcider.co.uk/product/per...
Tried my first perry
https://www.whinhillnorfolkcider.co.uk/product/per...
Cotty said:
A couple of the bars were selling out by 2pm on the Saturday so if we go again next year we will choose a weekday. Probably be less busy that the Saturday.
Tried my first perry
https://www.whinhillnorfolkcider.co.uk/product/per...
I love perry, even more so than cider.Tried my first perry
https://www.whinhillnorfolkcider.co.uk/product/per...
The pear tree in the garden fruited this year for the first time in the decade I've been here, so I'm having a go.
They are dessert pears not perry pears, but hopefully the result will be drinkable.
Cotty said:
Shame its been cancelled for 2026
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/09/camra-re...
It was cancelled in 2024 at Olympia and moved to the NEC this year, shame about next year, CAMRA facing financial problems apparently https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/09/camra-re...
Mobile Chicane said:
I love perry, even more so than cider.
The pear tree in the garden fruited this year for the first time in the decade I've been here, so I'm having a go.
They are dessert pears not perry pears, but hopefully the result will be drinkable.
That was really nice, not overly sweet and not dry just in the middle. I liked it so much I bought six bottles.The pear tree in the garden fruited this year for the first time in the decade I've been here, so I'm having a go.
They are dessert pears not perry pears, but hopefully the result will be drinkable.
I think beer festivals have had their day.
I used to enjoy them but with some much variety available on the craft scene now at bars in most large cities, it's easy to stage your own 'roaming' beer festival and get a change of scenery at ever stop off.
...that whilst also avoiding the beardy 1/2 drinking box tickers that tend to frequent these events.
I used to enjoy them but with some much variety available on the craft scene now at bars in most large cities, it's easy to stage your own 'roaming' beer festival and get a change of scenery at ever stop off.
...that whilst also avoiding the beardy 1/2 drinking box tickers that tend to frequent these events.
oxford drinker said:
As with everything, costs have spiralled over the past few years and not enough people turned up to the NEC to pay for it. It lost in the region of £320k.
It way have good access by train, but the NEC is such a soulless venue. Olympia was much brighter and better.
The cost of the train, tube and train again from South London to the NEC didn't help for me.It way have good access by train, but the NEC is such a soulless venue. Olympia was much brighter and better.
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